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An individual pretending to be grieving violently attacked a funeral director in Harlem. The attacker brandished a machete and repeatedly punched the funeral director in the head to steal his phone and wallet, as reported by law enforcement officials.
The assailant, who is still on the run, initially appeared friendly as he greeted the 66-year-old funeral director with a fist bump in his office at Daniels Wilhelmina Funeral Home on February 17. He disguised himself as someone arranging a funeral, according to the NYPD, who released video footage of the incident on Wednesday.
But he then “demanded money, punched the victim in the head multiple times and displayed a machete,” the NYPD said.
He stole the director’s phone and wallet before fleeing. The director declined medical attention, cops said.
Video footage from surveillance cameras also captured the suspect strolling down the street engaged in conversation with another person. He was wearing a light-colored coat over dark pants, along with a shirt and tie.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).